How many times have we read about some prejudiced individual shooting and killing innocent “pit bulls” who were “guilty” of nothing more than approaching an ignorant person too abruptly, even though the dog’s tail was wagging and they were just being friendly.   Or sometimes we read articles about people sniping “pit bulls” just because they think they can.   Such individuals are in for a rude awakening when they are then charged with animal cruelty, and rightfully so.

But such was not the case Friday, May 17, 2013, when an off-duty Chicago police officer shot and killed a 4-month old “pit bull” puppy because he claimed the dog charged at his son.   Accounts vary with eyewitnesses saying the puppy was not menacing the child, nor was that even possible since the child was nowhere near the dog at the time of the shooting.   In fact, NBC 5 reported that, “neighbors said the boy was nearly a block away during the shooting. And they say [the dog] Maximus never even barked.”  

Yet the puppy was apparently such a threat to the officer, he shot him eight times.   The officer then stated to the press that,

“It’s supposed to be on a leash. If that dog is on a leash this never happens…[My son] wanted to ride his bike. So he’s riding down the sidewalk. As I’m walking down the street the dog comes out of the gangway charging at him.”

So, did the officer just fabricate the story to justify shooting a 4-month old puppy knowing that pumping eight rounds into a puppy wouldn’t look good?     And if anyone but a police officer had shot a defenseless puppy, wouldn’t they have been charged with recklessly discharging their weapon and animal cruelty?   But did that happen in this case?   No, it did not.   In fact, the owners of the puppy were given two citations!  

Well, welcome to Chicago folks, where only the police and the gangs are allowed to be armed (or where that will soon be the case if a “may issue” conceal-carry law is passed in the General Assembly and they limit clips to a mere 10 rounds); the former can’t defend you, and the latter will eventually kill you!

Perhaps the Chicago Police would benefit from the program Colorado just passed into law requiring police to undergo training to prevent animals from being needlessly shot.